Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 14 hours ago
In this informative video, Michael Santos, founder of Prison Professors, breaks down the complexities of federal prison sentence reductions, including the First Step Act, statutory good time, and the Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP). With years of experience navigating the criminal justice system, Michael presents a clear, straightforward explanation to help justice-impacted individuals better understand how these programs work together to potentially shorten incarceration time.
**What You’ll Learn:**
* Overview of the First Step Act signed in 2018 and why it’s a landmark legislation in federal prison reform
* What statutory good time means and how prisoners earn 54 days off per year by avoiding disciplinary infractions
* How RDAP offers up to a year off for qualifying inmates with documented substance abuse history
* Eligibility requirements and the importance of honest self-reporting during pre-sentence investigations
* How the First Step Act’s risk assessment system can earn additional sentence credits for low or minimum risk individuals
* How these time credits stack cumulatively to reduce overall time served
* Real-life example showcasing a successful sentence reduction
**Timestamps:**
00:00 - Introduction: Complexity of prison systems and need for clarity
00:38 - Understanding the First Step Act and its historic impact
01:59 - Explanation of statutory good time (SGT) and how it works
02:55 - Details on RDAP eligibility and benefits
04:48 - Importance of substance abuse disclosure in pre-sentence reports
05:13 - First Step Act time credits and risk assessments explained
06:57 - How time credits from different programs stack cumulatively
07:28 - Real example: Sentence reduction through RDAP and First Step Act
08:07 - Encouragement to use Prison Professors’ free educational resources and AI bot
**About Prison Professors:**
Prison Professors is a nonprofit dedicated to providing free, self-directed educational resources to people navigating the criminal justice system. Their mission is to empower individuals through knowledge so they can prepare for successful reentry and improved outcomes.
**Call to Action:**
If you found this video helpful, please **like**, **subscribe**, and **share** to spread awareness about prison reform and education. Have questions or personal experiences related to sentence reductions? Leave a comment below—we want to hear from you! For more free courses and resources, visit [prisonprofessors.org](https://prisonprofessors.org).
#FirstStepAct #RDAP #StatutoryGoodTime #PrisonReform #CriminalJustice #SentenceReduction #PrisonEducation #PrisonProfessors
In this informative video, Michael Santos, founder of Prison Professors, breaks down the complexities of federal prison sentence reductions, including the First Step Act, statutory good time, and the Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP). With years of experience navigating the criminal justice system, Michael presents a clear, straightforward explanation to help justice-impacted individuals better understand how these programs work together to potentially shorten incarceration time.
**What You’ll Learn:**
* Overview of the First Step Act signed in 2018 and why it’s a landmark legislation in federal prison reform
* What statutory good time means and how prisoners earn 54 days off per year by avoiding disciplinary infractions
* How RDAP offers up to a year off for qualifying inmates with documented substance abuse history
* Eligibility requirements and the importance of honest self-reporting during pre-sentence investigations
* How the First Step Act’s risk assessment system can earn additional sentence credits for low or minimum risk individuals
* How these time credits stack cumulatively to reduce overall time served
* Real-life example showcasing a successful sentence reduction
**Timestamps:**
00:00 - Introduction: Complexity of prison systems and need for clarity
00:38 - Understanding the First Step Act and its historic impact
01:59 - Explanation of statutory good time (SGT) and how it works
02:55 - Details on RDAP eligibility and benefits
04:48 - Importance of substance abuse disclosure in pre-sentence reports
05:13 - First Step Act time credits and risk assessments explained
06:57 - How time credits from different programs stack cumulatively
07:28 - Real example: Sentence reduction through RDAP and First Step Act
08:07 - Encouragement to use Prison Professors’ free educational resources and AI bot
**About Prison Professors:**
Prison Professors is a nonprofit dedicated to providing free, self-directed educational resources to people navigating the criminal justice system. Their mission is to empower individuals through knowledge so they can prepare for successful reentry and improved outcomes.
**Call to Action:**
If you found this video helpful, please **like**, **subscribe**, and **share** to spread awareness about prison reform and education. Have questions or personal experiences related to sentence reductions? Leave a comment below—we want to hear from you! For more free courses and resources, visit [prisonprofessors.org](https://prisonprofessors.org).
#FirstStepAct #RDAP #StatutoryGoodTime #PrisonReform #CriminalJustice #SentenceReduction #PrisonEducation #PrisonProfessors
